1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a camera installed in a vehicle, and more particularly to a camera that is installed on a steering column to capture images of a driver of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cameras for capturing images of a driver have been installed in vehicles for monitoring the conditions of the driver of a vehicle (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-69680, for example). Such a camera is installed on a steering column so as to facilitate capturing images of a driver.
A mechanism that moderates the impact on a driver at the time of a collision by allowing the steering column to move at the time of the collision of the vehicle. This mechanism allows a steering wheel and the steering column to move toward the front of the vehicle (far side for the driver) when a collision of the vehicle is detected. With this configuration, the impact of the steering and the driver who is thrust forward by the inertia at the time of the collision is moderated, so that it is possible to moderate the impact on the driver.
When the camera is disposed on the steering column, a meter and a meter cover are disposed above the steering column, and the camera is therefore disposed on the near side, for the driver, of the meter and the meter cover. Thus, in the case where a camera is disposed on a steering column, when a mechanism for allowing the steering column to move at the time of a collision adopted as described above, there is a fear that the camera can hinder movement of the steering column. Specifically, when the steering column moves toward the far side (for the driver), the camera on the steering column may be brought into contact with the meter cover. In this case, a sufficient range of movement of the steering column cannot be secured. In order to secure a sufficient range of movement of the steering column, it is necessary to impose limitations on the shape and the arrangement of the components, such as the camera, the meters, and the meter cover. Thus, the design of these components becomes difficult, and limitations are imposed on the design of these components.